


Commander Midoriya

by Titus621



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Quirks (My Hero Academia), Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Crossover, F/F, F/M, No Mass Effect Knowledge Needed, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2020-02-28 07:08:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18751504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titus621/pseuds/Titus621
Summary: “Well, what about Midoriya?” the ambassador suggested. “He’s a spacer. Lived aboard starships most of his life.”“Military service runs in the family,” the captain supplied. “Both his parents were in the navy.”The admiral spoke up. “He proved himself during the Blitz. Held off enemy forces on the ground until reinforcements arrived.”“He’s the only reason Elysium is still standing,” the captain added.“We can’t question his courage,” the ambassador admitted.“Humanity needs a hero,” the captain finished. “And Young Midoriya’s the best we got.”The ambassador paused. “I’ll make the call.”





	1. Pragia

**Author's Note:**

> You know when you get that plot idea in your head and it won't leave you alone until you write it down? That's what happened here. I hope you enjoy.

The door to the SSV Tokyo’s briefing room opened and Izuku stepped inside, immediately saluting Captain Yagi as the man turned around. He was a titan of a man, at least a full foot taller than Izuku and still quite muscular underneath his blue uniform despite being in his early fifties. His bright blonde hair was shaved close to his head, which was otherwise dominated by his sunken features and wide smile.

 

“Ah, there you are,” the man said, turning back to the large screen in front of him. “We’re about two hours out from Pragia, so it’s time to let you in on what we’re doing here.”

 

“The Alliance doesn’t send three cruisers for reconnaissance,” Izuku pointed out. “Especially in this far-flung corner of the galaxy.”

 

Yagi laughed his boisterous laugh. “Very true. Our target is a Cerberus facility on the surface.”

 

Izuku blinked. “Cerberus? The ‘pro-human’ extremist group?”

 

“The very same,” Yagi muttered grimly with a nod. “They’ve been officially designated a terrorist group by both the Systems Alliance and the Citadel Council, but don’t get confused, this isn’t a simple peacekeeping operation. This facility houses the ‘Teltin’ facility, where Cerberus is conducting brutal and inhumane experiments on biotics. We’re here to shut the facility down but you, Commander, have a specific task.”

 

“Anything, sir.” 

 

“According to our intel, the heart of the whole operation is someone known only as ‘Subject Zero’,” the captain explained. “We believe that it is likely Cerberus would rather see this Subject Zero dead than in our hands, so it’s your job to get in there and get them out safely.”

 

“What can you tell me about the target?”

 

Yagi sighed. “From what I’ve been told, it’s not a pretty picture. The facility seems to be dedicated to building the ultimate biotic. There weren’t many details, but the gist seemed to be that the scientists are conducting experiments on biotics to enhance their abilities and the ones that prove fruitful and non-fatal are then applied to ‘Subject Zero’. The other subjects are less lucky.”

 

Izuku nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. “Captain, if I may speak freely?”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“How did command find out about this facility?” Izuku asked, putting his hands behind his back. “It's hundreds of light years away from Alliance space and yet we seem to have an impressive amount of information. I can’t help but be a little suspicious.”

 

Yagi nodded approvingly. “I felt the same way, Commander. Apparently we received a tip from  _ inside _ Cerberus regarding this facility. Even so, we do suspect a trap, which is why we’ve brought the Jakarta and the Shanghai along with us.” The captain gestured in the vague direction of the ships flanking the Tokyo.

 

The man pressed a button, bringing up an image of the planet. “One more thing. The planet itself, Pragia, is a dangerous one. It’s mostly covered by jungle due to what our scientists call ‘vegetative hypergrowth’. According to our information, the planet was colonized originally by the batarians, who intended to turn the planet into a breadbasket for their empire.” 

 

He pressed another button, zooming in on the planet to show the dense plant growth. “They brought non-native species to Pragia that flourished in the volcanic conditions but the plants soon synergized with native chemotropic microbes and became uncontainable. Reports of poisonous and even carnivorous strains have been reported and- over the course of only two centuries- the plant growth has overtaken the entire planet.”

 

“It is an active struggle to keep the plant life at bay, or it will overgrow anything in a matter of  _ days. _ ” The captain closed the image and turned to Izuku. “Any questions?”

 

“No, sir.”

 

Captain Yagi looked at the screen in front of him but his eyes were focused farther off, as if he was deep in thought. “Stopping Cerberus, rescuing innocent civilians… this will be a worthy mission for my last aboard the Tokyo.”

 

“Your last, sir?” Izuku asked, curiously.

 

“After this, I’m being transferred to a command on a new, experimental ship,” Yagi explained. “I’m honored, of course.”

 

Izuku felt his heart drop slightly. It had been a dream come true to serve with his childhood idol, but such was life in the Alliance. “It’s been an honor to serve with you, sir.”

 

The captain began to laugh uproariously in his signature fashion. “Don’t look so glum, Young Midoriya! As part of the assignment, I was allowed to choose my own crew. There was nobody else I’d rather have as my Executive Officer than you.”

 

Izuku’s eyes snapped to attention. “Sir?”

 

“That’s right,” the giant man said, placing a hand on the shoulder. “You’re coming with me. You and several other of the crew. Command wants only the best for this new venture, so that means you.” He let his shoulder go and looked back to the screen. “But we have to get through this first. So go get ready, Commander, and show me that I haven’t made the wrong choice.”

 

“Yes, sir!” Izuku saluted and left the room.

 

* * *

 

“Commander Izuku Midoriya,” a voice said. “Born July 15, 2158. He rallied the colonists and held off the invaders during the Skyllian Blitz when he was fresh out of basic and only a few years later he became the youngest to ever obtain the exalted N7 designation.”

 

A second voice continued. “He’s been serving with distinction under Captain Toshinori Yagi for years now… his list of accolades is quite impressive.”

 

“He has proven his ability to make tough decisions for the greater good.”

 

“Hmm, true, but he has a compassion that concerns me. Will he be able to make the necessary sacrifices?” 

 

“In times like this,” a third voice said quietly, “perhaps that compassion is what we need.”

 

“Surely there are others we could consider.”

 

A fourth voice, deeper than the rest spoke up. “We have had this discussion before. He is the best choice we have, as neither Toshinori Yagi nor Nihlus Kryik made the cut. We should begin the necessary preparations.”

 

The other six voices murmured before agreeing. The seven were in unison.

 

“We’ll be waiting for you, Commander.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku double-checked his equipment before he got suited up. His Onyx armor sat proudly in his locker, dinged and scratched from protecting him through dozens of missions. A red stripe ran down the right arm and another down the middle of his helmet; markings that denoted his commander rank for easy battlefield identification. He ran his fingers over the N7 badge that adorned the chest plate, proudly remembering the day he completed that hellish training. 

  
Next to it was his standard issue Hahne-Kedar weapons. He picked up his rifle, a regulation M-7 Lancer, and looked down the sights, double checking the weapon out of habit more than anything else. The Hahne-Kedar corporation’s weapons weren’t particularly fancy or cutting edge, but they were reliable; and in a firefight, Izuku would take reliable over fancy every day.

 

He strapped his hardsuit on and set his helmet on the bench behind him as he reached for his weapons. Because he wasn’t naturally a biotic and never studied for any technical qualifications, Izuku had received extensive combat training instead with every type of standard Alliance weapon and then some. 

 

Long had it been since soldiers used rudimentary straps and holsters; instead, Izuku’s weapons attached to his armor by electromagnets. His placed his pistol on his hip, his shotgun on the small of his back and his sniper and assault rifles on his left and right shoulder blade respectively, just like he had done hundreds of times before.

 

Izuku left the locker room and stepped into the hold of the Tokyo, making his way over and into the UT-47 Kodiak Drop Shuttle he was assigned to for this mission. He stepped in to find a welcome face: Staff Lieutenant Itsuka Kendou. 

 

“Itsuka, good to see you.”

 

The red-headed woman saluted. “I should hope so, sir. You requested me for this mission.”

 

Izuku smiled and laughed once before turning to the six other marines in the shuttle. “Alright, listen up! This is a Cerberus facility, an officially designated terrorist group, so weapons are free. However, we’re not just another assault team for this one. We’re tasked with fighting our way into the facility and locating a VIP designated as ‘Subject Zero’. We have no specifics on identity, so check your targets.” His commanding tone had been refined over the years, even at his relatively young age for his rank. “Any questions?”

 

The rest of the squad shook their heads. 

 

“Good!” He banged the door of the cockpit, letting the pilot know they were ready when he was. “Keep alert and listen to the LT and I and you’ll make it through this.” He sat down in a seat next to Itsuka, putting his helmet on and preparing himself for whatever was coming.

 

* * *

 

“Attention all teams, this is Captain Yagi speaking.” 

 

After ten minutes of sitting in the shuttle, waiting, the captain’s voice broke through everyone’s comms.

 

“We are on final approach to the Pragia facility now, but the situation has changed.”

 

Izuku perked up.

 

“It appears the facility is already under assault. Team leaders, adjust your plans accordingly, time is more limited than we anticipated. Further intel will come as we get it. Over and out.”

 

‘Already unders assault?’ Izuku thought, shooting a serious look at Itsuka. She was looking back at him, understanding clear on her face.

 

Izuku turned to his soldiers. “Our plans haven’t changed. We go in, hit is hard, fast, and efficient. We secure Subject Zero and we get out. We have no intel on what’s going on down there, so keep your eyes peeled and your corners checked.”

 

As soon as he finished his speech, he heard the Element Zero core kick on, nullifying the mass of the shuttle and allowing the Kodiak’s weak thrusters to lift the shuttle off the deck and forward. Their mission had begun.

 

* * *

 

Izuku looked out the tinted window of the shuttle at the dense foliage beneath them and then at the other shuttles in formation. There were nine in total: three from each cruiser. Izuku figured it would be more than enough, but the attackers that were already there gave him pause. He had been in strange situations before, but no battle was ever quite the same as another.

 

Their shuttle landed on the northern perimeter behind an overgrown building, allowing Izuku’s team a safe exit. He peeked his head around, looking up and down the building. “Alright, on me,” he ordered, advancing quickly across the open field with his team at his six.

 

He pressed up against the dark concrete wall, double checking for any cameras or turrets. “Jenkins, demolition charges. Everyone else, spread out and cover him.”

 

The soldier nodded, moving up to the wall and beginning to plant the shaped explosive. The rest of the squad moved back, posting up with their weapons trained down the long sightlines of the building exterior.

 

“Ready, Commander,” the young Corporal said as he primed the charge. Izuku nodded, signalling for the detonation. The man took a few steps back before hitting the trigger in his hand, causing the explosive to blow a hole 2 meters in diameter in the thick, reinforced concrete.

 

The squad poured in, Izuku and Itsuka bringing up the rear as they entered a dimly-lit hallway. The sounds of gunfire echoed through the depths of the building, causing Izuku to call for a halt. 

 

He pressed his fingers to the ear of his helmet. “Tokyo, this is Commander Midoriya. Do we have an update on the unknown party?”

 

“That’s an affirmative, Commander,” a voice returned. “Reports from other teams put them as  _ also _ Cerberus. It appears we’ve arrived in the middle of a civil war of sorts.”

 

“Roger,” Izuku returned. “Thanks, Jirou.”

 

He turned to Itsuka and the rest of his team. “Lieutenant, take three marines and go right, the rest, on me. The situation is unstable and our target is at risk. Move quickly and stay in communication. Report back with any info you find.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Itsuka replied with a curt nod. “You three, form up. Jenkins, you’re on point.”

 

Izuku gripped his rifle firmly as his group began moving slowly down the left hallway like a well oiled machine. Each soldier was covered by two others as they advanced from cover to cover, always keeping their eyes and ears focused. 

 

They advanced down another hallway before coming to a door. One of his soldiers set to work hacking it open while the rest stacked up around the door. At the count of three, the door slid open, revealing a large courtyard with light pouring in from the glass roof. 

 

Izuku glanced around and then ordered his soldiers forward with a quick hand gesture, the three storming through the door and taking cover behind columns and a bench. Izuku followed, keeping his eyes trained on the far side of the room.

 

His instincts proved apt as the door flew open and five men in white armor poured through, each gripping rifles. Izuku waited for a moment to watch, but it didn't take long for his eyes to widen. Two of the men were dragging what looked like children behind them. One was struggling, but the other was unmoving, a small trail of blood dripping from her head. 

 

"Cerberus," Izuku hissed as he stowed his Lancer on his back, "open fire but check the civies!"

 

The three Alliance soldiers began raining bullets down on the unsuspecting Cerberus soldiers, dropping two of them dragging the children in an instant. Izuku pulled out his sniper rifle and took aim from behind his cover. As one of the soldiers made for the kids, likely to use them as a shield, he lined up his shot and fired, bringing the soldier down with a single pull of the trigger.

 

One of the soldiers reached her arm back, her body beginning to let off the tell-tale sign of biotics- a blue glow across her entire body, with tendrils of energy leaping from her like flares on a star. She threw her arm forward, a concentrated pulse shot forward like a dart, the blue force streaking forward and slamming into one of the two remaining Cerberus grunts, throwing him backwards into the wall with a sickening crash.

 

The last terrorist dove back through the door he had entered from, dodging the last shots from Izuku and his marines. Immediately he led them across the courtyard, quick and low, over to the children. Izuku took two doses of medi-gel from his kit and applied one to each of the children. Now that Izuku was closer, he could judge their ages to be around 12 or so; definitely old enough to have permanent damage from this place, physical or otherwise.

 

Izuku stood up and contacted his ship again. “Tokyo, this is Commander Midoriya. We’ve encountered two young victims, has anyone else reported similarly?”

 

“Affirmative, Commander,” Jirou returned. “There appears to be a large number of children and teenagers at the facility.”

 

‘Dammit.’ Izuku pressed his ear again. “Roger, Midoriya out.”

 

“Alright, new orders.” Izuku turned to his three marines with a determined expression. This may not be the wisest decision, but it was certainly the right one, at least if you asked Izuku. “You three, get those two to safety, then return and be on the lookout for any more survivors. They are your top priority.”

 

“Sir, where are you going?” the adept asked as she picked up the unconscious child.

 

“I’m going after Subject Zero. We need to save as many as we can.”

 

“But-” 

 

Izuku pulled out his shotgun and made his way for the nearby door. “You have your orders, Private.” 

 

* * *

 

Izuku knew splitting up was taking a risk, but he moved faster on his own and time was of the essence. The fact that Cerberus was infighting was worrying, but the fact that these innocents were getting caught in the crossfire… that was intolerable. Izuku had to find Subject Zero and get everyone out that he could. He had the training, he had the experience, he had the ability: it was his duty to save everyone.

 

As he hustled down the hallways, his train of thought was suddenly interrupted by the last thing he expected.

 

“Stop!”

 

Izuku whipped around, his eyes widening as he heard a voice he hadn’t heard in years.

 

Standing behind him, flanked by two men in white armor, was his old childhood friend, Katsuki Bakugou.

 

“Deku?!”

 

“Kaccha-” The word caught in his throat as he realized what he was seeing. Katsuki was wearing the same white hardsuit as the Cerberus soldiers at his sides. “You… you’re with Cerberus?!”

 

Katsuki didn’t respond for a few seconds, instead glaring daggers at him. His eyes snapped to Izuku’s right, staring down a side hallway. “He’s going after Subject Zero, we have to stop him!”

 

Izuku paused for a second as Katsuki’s eyes shot between him and the hallway. He narrowed his eyes as he gripped his shotgun and took off down the hallway, sprinting away from the incoming attackers.

 

“He’s cutting through the lab!” Katsuki shouted from behind.

 

Izuku was certainly not planning on doing that, but he was now. He shot the glass window with his shotgun, blowing it away as he vaulted inside. Bullets ricocheted around him, a few deflecting off of his armor’s shields as he dashed past the equipment in the dingy laboratory.

 

“Go left and cut him off!”

 

Izuku didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he wasn’t going to question it. It’s not like he had a better plan at the moment.

 

“He’s almost there, dammit! Can’t you assholes do anything right?”

 

Izuku broke around a corner as he suddenly heard gunfire ring out behind him and bodies hit the floor. He stayed focused and moved forward, keeping his head on a swivel and his ears focused. No sound came from behind him. 

 

He stayed focused and kept moving forward. It wasn’t long until he came to a large door in a courtyard, a strange tinted window- so dark he couldn’t see at all- sat on the wall next to it. The large holographic display told him he had found his target: Subject Zero.

 

Izuku held up his left hand, activating his omnitool- the orange hardlight gauntlet that acted as a multitool for nearly all things technical- and began feeding it omnigel to brute force the lock open.

 

The door hissed and slid open after a few seconds, Izuku pulling out his pistol but keeping it pointed down. The cell was dark and dingy, with t-

 

Izuku found the air being choked out of him as he was lifted into the air by blue energy.

 

“W-wait,” he sputtered, barely able to speak.

 

“ _ Who are you? _ ” a voice spat from the shadows. It was feminine.

 

“Not- hurt-” Izuku couldn’t say anything more as the crushing force on him increased, like a singularity was inside of him and his body was collapsing inside of it.

 

The force vanished as he collapsed to the ground, choking and gasping for air. “You try anything,” the voice hissed, “and you won’t survive it. Now, who are you?”

 

Izuku staggered to his feet and took off his helmet. He looked in the direction of the voice, but the contrast of light and dark rendered the prisoner invisible to his eyes. “My name is Commander Midoriya, I’m with the Systems Alliance. I’m here to rescue you. I’m here to keep you safe.”

 

Subject Zero stepped forward slightly, letting Izuku see her for the first time. She was shorter- probably around 6 inches smaller than his 6-foot frame. Her face was still mostly hidden, but he could make out the vague shape. She looked like an adult, maybe only a few years younger than him and her head was covered in short hair. “That’s bullshit,” she spat.

 

“I promise.” He spoke as sincerely as he could. “We’re here to take you and everyone else here away from Cerberus. You have my word that I will protect you with my life. In fact, here, as an olive branch.” He turned his pistol around in his hand and held out the grip to the woman. “Not that you need it, but still.” He was still sore from her biotic attack.

 

“I-I’m not an idiot,” she mumbled, “it’s empty.”

 

Izuku simply put the weapon in his other hand and fired a round behind him into the floor, causing the woman to jump. He flipped the pistol back around and held it out again. “Time is limited,  _ please _ come with me,” he pleaded.

 

She hesitated, but reached out and took the pistol, her hand retreated as soon as she grabbed it. 

 

He smiled at her. “Thank you. Come on-” He had turned halfway around before he stopped himself. “Is there something I can call you? I have a feeling that… you wouldn’t want to be called the name on your door.”

 

She was silent for a second before she stepped forward, out of the shadows. He could finally get a good look at her face.

 

His eyes were immediately drawn to her own; large, round and brown, but filled with equal parts fear and anger. Her skin was fair and her cheeks were slightly pink and a little round, unlike the other children, who had looked malnourished. Clearly Cerberus wanted to keep their prime specimen healthy.

 

She looked him in the eyes. 

 

“Call me Ochako.”


	2. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting in is easy, it's getting out that can prove challenging.

Ochako flinched in the darkness of her cell. She heard the electronics of her cell door whirring and sparking. Someone was forcing the lock open.

 

She slunk back into the shadows as the door hissed and slid open. A man in black armor entered the cell, looking around warily as he held his pistol. Just as she hoped, he couldn’t see her.

 

With functionally no effort, Ochako flicked her hand forward, trapping his body in a biotic field and beginning to crush the air out of him.

 

“W-wait,” he sputtered, barely able to speak.

 

“ _Who are you?_ ” she spat.

 

“Not- hurt-” He cried out in pain as she increased the power on him.

 

Ochako was in total control here. It was just one man, nobody to back him up, nobody to stop her. She could finally have revenge for all the experiments and torture they inflicted on her.

 

Something in her mind gave her pause. If he was with these people, then why did he break in? His armor wasn’t the same as the other guards and if he had known _anything_ about her, he wouldn’t have been stupid enough to come here alone...

  
Something wasn’t adding up.

 

She let the mass effect field fade and he collapsed to the ground, choking and gasping for air. “You try anything,” she hissed, “and you won’t survive it. Now, who are you?”

 

The man staggered to his feet and took off his helmet. Ochako’s brow furrowed.

 

His face was… confusing. His jawline was chiseled and accented by a dusting of stubble, while his green hair was cut close to head, military style. Everything about him exuded confidence and demanded respect, but at the same time, those big, green eyes of his looked almost misplaced on his otherwise handsome and rugged face. They looked at her, filled with kindness and a fire burning within them.

 

“My name is Commander Midoriya, I’m with the Systems Alliance. I’m here to rescue you. I’m here to keep you safe.”

 

Safe. That’s something Ochako hadn’t felt in… God, how long had it been? After spending most of your life in a place like this, the years blurred together.

 

Still, she knew better than that. This wasn’t the first time Cerberus had tricked her.

 

She stepped forward a bit, getting a better look at him. “That’s bullshit,” she spat.

 

“I promise.” His words sounded… sincere. “We’re here to take you and everyone else here away from Cerberus. You have my word that I will protect you with my life. In fact, here, as an olive branch.” He turned his pistol around in his hand and held out the grip to her. “Not that you need it, but still.”

 

Damn straight she didn’t. She could kill him with one hand if she wanted to, but even so…

 

“I-I’m not an idiot,” Ochako mumbled, her doubts beginning to crack, “it’s empty.”

 

The man simply put the weapon in his other hand and fired a round behind him into the floor, causing Ochako to jump. He flipped the pistol back around and held it out again. “Time is limited, _please_ come with me,” he pleaded.

 

Her world was shattering, but in the best way. Was it finally happening? Was it finally over? The man was either telling the truth or the best actor she had ever seen. Either way, she wouldn’t let her guard down, but she did take the pistol.

 

He smiled at her. “Thank you. Come on-” He had turned halfway around before he stopped himself. “Is there something I can call you? I have a feeling that… you wouldn’t want to be called the name on your door.”

 

Ochako paused. It had been so long since anyone had called her anything but Subject Zero.

 

She stepped forward, out of the shadows; he could finally get a good look at her face. His eyes were immediately drawn to her own, looking over her with a mix of concern and wonder. She couldn’t remember the last time someone looked at her with anything but hatred or cold calculation. Seeing this ‘Midoriya’ scanning over her with kindness and care was… she didn’t know what she felt, but it felt good.

 

She looked him in the eyes. “Call me Ochako,” she declared.

 

“Alright, Ochako, let’s go. Stay behind me and try to hide if we run into anyone.” He looked back at her as he put his helmet back on. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you anymore, okay?”

 

Hearing her name spoken by someone else sent a shiver down her spine. It had been so long that it almost sounded foreign to her ears.

 

“Whatever,” she huffed. This seemed too good to be true, which in her experience, meant it was. She would keep her wits about her, maybe shoot him in the back if she saw a chance at escape.

 

The way he nodded and immediately turned his back on her made her hesitate. He seemed to trust her. Even if it was fake, he was the first person to show her kindness ever since she was kidnapped. Maybe she should-

 

Ochako shook her head. No, Cerberus was nothing if not manipulative. They wanted her to let her guard down, to show weakness. She wouldn’t let that happen.

 

Even so, she weighed her options. It was either this ‘Alliance’ guy, Cerberus, or trying her luck in the jungles. Even if she _did_ escape into the wilds, what would she do? From what she overheard from guard chatter, this planet was a remote backwater home to nobody but slavers and pirates. Maybe it was a trick, but anything was better than being trapped in that cell. She would take her chances, but that didn’t mean she trusted him.

 

They turned down a hallway, Midoriya clutching at his shotgun and she at his pistol. Suddenly, a man in white armor turned the corner, holding a rifle at the ready. “Sir, I found them!” he called, raising his rifle towards Ochako. She recognized that voice; he was one of the bastards that worked in this place.

 

Without hesitation, Midoriya stepped to the side, blocking her vision. She heard a gunshot and saw a pulse from his shields. “Take cover!” he ordered, raising his shotgun and firing at the soldier.

 

Ochako ducked back behind the corner of the hallway as Midoriya fired again. She couldn’t see, but she heard a heavy, limp thud.

 

She didn’t know what to think; he had taken a _bullet_ for her. Sure, his shields deflected the round, but he didn’t even think before protecting her... Then he killed that goon without hesitation.

 

Ochako furrowed her brow. They were really pulling out all the stops for this trick.

 

She began to step out, but he held his hand out, silently telling her to stop.

 

Further footsteps echoed from the other end of the hallway, followed by a gruff voice. “Serves him right. I told you dumbasses to _not_ engage. How hard is it to keep your damn finger off a trigger?” She raised an eyebrow; his voice was unfamiliar. Who was he?

 

“With all due respect sir,” another man she recognized said, “we were given very clear orders on what to do if Subject Zero escaped.”

 

“Yes, idiot, and then I gave you _new_ orders.”

 

“But-”

 

“Bakugou, what are you doing here?” Midoriya asked. “You know what Cerberus is!”

 

“You’re right, Deku,” the gruff man responded, “I _do_ know what Cerberus is. And this isn’t it.”

 

‘Deku? Is that his name?’

 

The man she recognized spoke again. “Wait, are you part o-”

 

A thunderous shockwave shook the hallway, causing her to tense up. She knew the sound of biotic explosions all too well from all of the tests she was put through.

 

Deku dove behind the wall opposite of her, leaning into the hallway. “What the hell are you doing?!”

 

“Cleaning house,” Bakugou answered. “This project went way off the rails. Boss sent us here to put an end to it.” Ochako dared to poke her head around the corner. A tall, blonde man with red eyes was glaring back at Deku, two Cerberus grunts at his feet. Deku had only killed one, did that mean that this Bakugou killed the other?

 

“Your biotics…” Deku said, his voice softening. “What did Cerberus do to you?”

 

Ochako stared down at Bakugou’s hands. A blue glow danced from them- he was an adept like her- but it was different. Unlike the smooth, swirling flow she had always seen, his aura was harsh and erratic, like he was unstable.

 

Bakugou’s vision snapped to her, his eyes narrowing. “Take her and fuck off,” he growled, ignoring Deku’s question. “I’m not gonna be there to save your ass the next time.”

 

“I can handle more than a few grunts,” Deku countered. “You know that.”

 

Bakugou ignored him again. “I saw the rest of your soldiers picking up the kids… good. I was gonna have to kick your ass if you made me regret sending in that tip.”

 

“That was _you_?!” Deku seemed shocked.

 

“Like I said, this isn’t Cerberus,” Bakugou growled as he turned away. “I joined because I wanted to make a difference. We’re paving the way for humanity in the galaxy, Deku. You’ll see that some day.”

 

Deku’s eyes narrowed behind his visor. “Let’s go, Ochako. He is right, I need to get you out of here.”

 

This was all very strange. That man… he works for Cerberus, but he killed those guards? She turned to the man next to her. “Deku, what ‘tip’ was he talking about?”  


“Deku?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Oh, you must thi- my name is Izuku. That’s just an old nickname that Bakugou gave me.”

 

“Oh.” She thought for a moment. “I kinda like it. Makes you less ‘big, bad, intimidating soldier man’.”

 

He laughed. “Is that what I am? If it makes you more comfortable, then please call me Deku.”

 

She smiled a little. Maybe he wasn’t so big and bad.

 

“Oh, and to answer your question, we received a tip about this facility from _inside_ Cerberus,” Deku explained. “It’s because of him that we’re here at all.”

 

“So… are you really with the Alliance?” she asked.

 

He nodded firmly. “I am, but please, I’ll answer all your questions once we are out of here, alright? Let’s go.”

 

She nodded as he stowed away his shotgun and pulled out his assault rifle.

 

They passed through a ruined lab covered in broken glass, like someone had shot out the window on the far side. They passed through another few hallways before coming to a door leading into a courtyard. “Not far now,” he muttered back, keeping his gun ready. He scanned around, before motioning her forward.

 

She was keeping behind him when he suddenly tensed up. “Take cover. Now,” he ordered.

 

The door on the far side of the room opened and two Cerberus soldiers ran out, each with rifles drawn. They barely had time to notice them before Deku opened fire and dropped one of them. The other ran for cover but was filled with bullets before he got there.

 

Ochako’s head snapped to the side as another door opened on the far side of the courtyard. Four more white-armored men poured out of the door and took positions.

 

This was bad. Deku couldn’t take four people at once- she needed to help. She flexed her arm and charged up her biotics, ready to take reven-

 

Two bursts rang out from Deku’s gun as a grenade soared over her head. The two on the left hit the ground with a dull thud while a ground-shaking explosion blew the other two away.

 

Her eyes went wide as she turned around slowly. Deku let out a controlled breath, as if relaxing after a particularly complex martial arts move. He had just killed six men in the blink of an eye, like everyone else was running in slow motion compared to him.

 

Maybe he was pretty big and bad. Who _was_ this guy?

 

He wasted no time. “They’ll have heard that explosion. Move.”

 

They hustled out of the room as he pressed his hand to his ear. “Itsuka, come in. I’ve got the target, what’s your status?”

 

He paused for a few seconds, listening intently. “Good work. We’re on our way.” He turned back to the door. “Let’s see if we can’t keep them from following us.”

 

“Let me,” Ochako muttered, causing him to look at her. “I’ve always wanted to tear this place apart.” She let her biotics charge up again as she raised her arm to the ceiling, focusing the effect at a point to create a small singularity. “We might want to move back,” she suggested sharply.

 

Deku nodded as the two of them hurried farther down the hallway. Once Ochako felt they were safe, she upped the power of the effect, causing the metal in the hallway to groan. “I only wish I could spend a few days erasing this place from existence,” she muttered. Her biotics flared as she glared, causing the singularity to pulse and wrench the metal walls together, effectively blocking the hallway.

 

“Good work,” Deku said approvingly. “Not much farther now.”

 

They jogged down the hallway as the sound of gunfire grew louder. For some reason, that seemed to embolden Deku. “My team is just up ahead, they already loaded the other kids into transports, so they’re waiting for us.”

 

“The other kids?”

 

He nodded. “I’m not about to leave anyone innocent behind if I can help it. I ordered my team to rescue who they could, that’s why I’m alone.”

 

She raised an eyebrow. “You came all by yourself on purpose?”

 

“I can handle myse- look out!”

 

A grenade bounced around the corner and landed at their feet.

 

Time seemed to slow down. Ochako tried to charge up her biotics, but she didn’t have the speed to throw up a barrier in time. She saw his head glance at the open room to their right. He could jump into there and be shielded from the grenade, but instead he turned around, tackling her to the ground and putting his back to the blast.

 

He grunted in pain as the explosion blew his shields away.

 

She blinked.

 

A small trickle of blood ran down his armor, landing on her arm.

 

In that moment, at least _for_ that moment, all her doubts were gone.

 

The rage that was ingrained in her mind roared to life as she scrambled to her feet. The blue glow around her surged, leaping and dancing like flames as she stepped over the man on the ground.

 

Five Cerberus soldiers turned the corner, their weapons trained on Ochako. “We’ve got her,” one of them said.

 

“You haven’t got _shit_ ,” she spat back. “You’re already dead, you just don’t know it.”

 

They opened fire. Unfortunately for them, this time she was already prepared.

 

She threw up a massive blue shield in front of her, all of the rounds deflecting off the barrier. Even with five men firing rifles at her, they didn’t stand a chance.

 

Ochako reared her left hand back and threw it forward, sending a pulse of force directly at one of the guards. The bolt impacted his chest with a satisfying crack as all of his ribs shattered, followed by his spine.

 

Endorphins flooded her system. Years of being trained and conditioned to kill, years of drugs being pumped into her to get her addicted to it… well it had worked. But this pleasure was beyond that; killing Cerberus made it that much sweeter.

 

She held up her hand, lifting another one of the guards into the air. With a flick of her wrist, he slammed into the other three, knocking all of them down. She dropped her barrier, using both of her arms to create another massive singularity in the middle of them, causing the soldiers to begin helplessly floating around the dark blue orb.

 

The thing about the unstable, short-lived mass effect fields that biotics created was that they were just that: unstable. Another potent enough effect applied to one would create… volatile results.

 

“Payback for that grenade!” She charged up a massive warp effect in her hand and hurled it forward.

 

Ochako loved the sound of biotic detonations.

 

The four men were crushed against the walls of the hallways as the singularity exploded, releasing the concentrated energy in a violent burst of blue and black.

 

The pleasure she gained from the killing was overshadowed by the worry in the forefront of her mind. With the threat eliminated, she turned back around to Deku, to check if he wa-

 

He was propped up on one arm, gripping onto his pistol tightly with the other, aiming it down the hallway with fire in his eyes.

 

She hadn’t even realized she had dropped the gun.

 

Ochako whipped around, her eyes widening as one of the Cerberus goons aimed down the sights of his pistol at her, even as he lay half-broken and prone on the ground. Before he could fire, a round hit him between the eyes.

 

A silence hung in the hallway for a few moments.   
  
“You know,” Deku coughed, “you’re pretty big and bad yourself.”

 

She knew he was joking, but as the rush left her body, guilt replaced it. She knelt down, touching at his bloodied arm. “I thought you said you could take care of yourself,” she huffed, trying to hide her concern. “...Are you alright?”

 

He laughed once and nodded. “I think most of my gear is scrapped, but I’ll live.”

 

“You… you saved me.” She looked away slightly. “Thank you.”

 

His voice softened. “Don’t mention it, you returned the favor, after all.” Deku began to struggle slightly, trying to stand up.

 

She hurried to help, letting him put some weight on her. “Are _you_ alright?” he asked as he tossed his destroyed sniper rifle and shotgun away.

 

“I’m fine,” she muttered.

 

“Alright, give me a second then.” He kicked on his omnitool and a small hiss sounded from his suit, followed by a relieved sigh from the man. “That’s better. Thank you, medi-gel.” He stood up under his own power and gripped his pistol tightly. “Let’s move. Thanks again.”

 

Ochako was a whirlwind of confusion and mixed emotions but she was still focused enough to understand he was right.

 

They hurried forward, a little slower than usual. Even with the medi-gel, Deku was still wounded.

 

Finally they made it to a breach in the wall. “Our entry point,” Deku explained. “I hate to ask this, but can you make another barrier to cover us across the field?”

 

She nodded. At this point, it was the least she could do, right? Ochako held both of her arms up, creating a shimmering blue bubble around them.

 

“Beautiful,” he muttered approvingly. “Let’s get off this damn planet.”

 

That sounded nice. She smiled a little, turning away to make sure he didn’t see it.

 

The journey across the open field was safe enough. A few rounds bounced off as they crossed towards a shuttle surrounded by marines.

 

“Commander, you’re limping!” a woman shouted. “Are you alright?”

 

“I’ve had worse!” he called back. “Get the shuttle ready!”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

The bullets stopped flying as they made it to the vehicle, allowing Ochako to finally release her barrier. Even with all the training beaten into her, she was getting tired.

 

Deku stepped into the shuttle and slumped down on a seat near the front, motioning her to join him. “I’m sorry you had to fight,” he said to her firmly as he took of his helmet. “That is a failing on my part, I hope you can forgive me.”

 

“W-what?” Ochako blinked a few times. “No forgiveness necessary. I would do anything to never see this damn place again.”

 

Deku smiled softly, but didn’t say anything more. He looked exhausted.

 

“You must be Subject Zero,” the woman from earlier said as she entered the shuttle with the rest of the marines. She took her helmet off to reveal her orange-red hair and teal eyes.

 

Ochako twitched, but before she could say anything, Deku spoke up. “Her name is Ochako and you will address her as such,” he declared loudly enough for the whole shuttle to hear.

 

“Yes, sir,” the redhead responded automatically. Her face softened as she looked down onto Ochako. “Sorry about that. Glad to see you safe.”

 

“Thanks,” she muttered, looking away. The shuttle was feeling a little packed and she didn’t like it.

 

The woman banged on the door of the shuttle. “I’ve had enough of this damn planet for a lifetime,” she laughed as she sat down as well.

 

Ochako felt the shuttle hum and lift off the ground. She glanced out the window, watching the hell that was her prison fading rapidly below her.

 

As they cleared the atmosphere, she slowly pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head in her arms to hide the tears that began to fall from her eyes.

 

It was finally over.

 


	3. Recovery

The shuttle touched down inside the bay of the SSV Tokyo gently as the subtle hum of the mass effect engine kicked off and the shuttle doors hissed open. 

 

Itsuka looked over at Izuku as she stood up. “Commander, you should get to the medical bay.”

 

“Ah, it’s not that bad,” he lied, stretching his neck. 

 

Itsuka laughed. “So you were limping to the shuttle because you felt like it?”

 

“Fine, fine.” He chuckled softly. “Ochako, the doc should look at you, too.”

 

Ochako immediately tensed up. “I’m  _ fine _ .”

 

Izuku looked down at her arm, where the woman was subconsciously rubbing at the scars along her arm. ‘Of course,’ he thought, cursing himself. ‘That was stupid of me.’

 

“If you say so,” he said with a shrug. “Want to give me a hand getting there? The captain requested the rest of my soldiers for debriefing.”

 

Ochako hesitated, but as Izuku struggled slightly to stand up, she quickly moved to help him. “Uh, sure, whatever. Don’t want you falling on your ass or something.”

 

“Thank you,” he said sincerely, smiling down at her as he put a little weight on her. 

 

Izuku half-led, half-directed Ochako through the corridors and lifts of the Tokyo until they reached the medical bay. The door slid open, revealing the expansive hall filled with beds, tables and equipment, several of which were in use. Izuku was relieved that more of the beds weren’t filled, meaning the operation had gone smoothly for the most part. There was no way that Cerberus was expecting three Alliance cruisers to show up at their remote facility.

 

He supposed they all had Bakugou to thank for that.

 

“What trouble have you gotten yourself into  _ this _ time?” came a familiar voice as Ochako helped him sit down on one of the examination tables.

 

Izuku turned and smiled over at the elderly doctor approaching him as he began to take off his armor. “Nothing you can’t fix, Doc.”

 

The woman huffed and pulled out a small scanner, wasting no time getting to work.

 

Izuku turned to Ochako as he continued to remove his hardsuit, revealing his navy-blue undersuit. “Ochako, this is Doctor Chiyo Shuuzenji. You couldn’t ask for someone better to patch you up.”

 

Ochako didn’t seem to be really paying attention. She was looking around nervously, seemingly put on edge by the doctors and nurses darting around as patients continued to trickle in. At the same time, she inched slightly closer to Izuku.

 

He exchanged a quick glance with Chiyo. Ochako was in a strange and unfamiliar environment, but the only anchor she really had was Izuku. The poor woman had been through a hell he could only imagine and was suddenly ripped from it. Calling it disorientating would be a severe understatement.

 

He had a duty to this woman to help her. It was only right.

 

Chiyo began scanning him with a small device as she carefully read the results on a datapad in her other hand. “Well, you’re lucky this time, Midoriya. Your suit seems to have taken the worst of it and I’ll have you back on your feet in no time. You know the drill.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said respectfully. “That armor got me through a lot of tough spots, but it’s not the first hardsuit I’ve totalled and it probably won’t be the last.”

 

Ochako didn’t really seem to be paying attention and was instead watching a large group of medical staff gather supplies in a hurry. She didn’t know that they were getting ready to leave to help the rest of the refugees, but he suspected that she suspected. Perhaps a distraction was in order.

 

“Fascinating stuff, medi-gel,” Izuku began, holding up his arm to show off the substance covering one of his lacerations. “It’s an anaesthetic, clotting agent, and disinfectant all in one salve that will hold fast to flesh until subjected to ultrasound. It’ll keep stuff out and keep stuff in. I used it back there to seal and disinfect the wounds from that grenade and to numb the pain; it’s saved my life more than once. However, one of the more interesting things about it is that it’s technically illegal.”

 

Ochako, who hadn’t seem very interested, shot a small look over at him; perhaps he piqued her curiosity. 

 

“Yep,” Izuku continued as Chiyo patched him up, “under the Sudham-Wolcott Genetic Heritage Act that we passed in 2161, it violates gene modification laws and guidelines. However, it’s so useful that it gets a pass. It’s used all over Citadel Space by all sorts of races, like the asari, salarians and more. I think part of the reason they turn a blind eye is the fact that the Sirta Foundation, the company that makes medi-gel, is a non-profit.”

 

Ochako blinked at him. “You’re… a bit of a nerd, huh?”

 

Izuku chuckled softly. “Yeah. Sorry if I ruined the whole ‘big, bad soldier’ image.”

 

“Don’t feel bad,” Chiyo said sarcastically as she scanned one of his legs. “Anyone who talks to you for five minutes would know better. It was only a matter of time before she discovered the truth.”

 

Izuku laughed once. “Thanks, Doc.”

 

He saw Ochako’s expression soften just for a moment. She ran a hand through her short hair and huffed softly before moving over and sitting down in a chair next to the table. She propped her head up on her hands, trying to look bored, but Izuku could see the tension she carried in her shoulders. 

 

He recognized her body language, as it was the same body language he saw in jumpy privates on their first tour of duty. She was expecting an attack at any time. 

 

That attack came sooner than Izuku expected, at least in a way. 

 

A private that Izuku barely recognized was walking by, carrying a crate of supplies back down to the cargo bay, when he glanced over. He immediately stopped and gave Izuku a proper salute. “Commander.”

 

“At ease,” Izuku replied, almost instinctively. 

 

He spotted the soldier’s eyes shoot towards Ochako. “Oh, I don’t know how this one got here, sorry if she was bothering you, sir.” He reached out to grab her wrist. 

 

Izuku felt the slight shift in his stomach that always accompanied being too close to an active biotic. 

 

“She’s with me, Private.” His command was direct and forceful, causing the man to freeze up and look at him.

 

“Oh, uh, sorry, sir.” He backed away and stiffened up, looking at Izuku nervously.

 

Izuku’s face was stern. “As you were, soldier. On your way.” He gestured toward the exit and the private wasted no time hurrying off.

 

Ochako seemed stunned, confused even, as she sat there. 

 

“I said I would keep you safe,” Izuku said firmly. “I don’t make promises lightly.”

 

She seemed to come back to reality as she leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms. “Yeah, well, he couldn’t have taken me.”

 

“No doubt,” Izuku agreed. “But I would rather you not throw Alliance soldiers across the medical bay.” 

 

Ochako didn’t say anything, but instead just stared forward, trying to look disinterested but he could see the thoughts behind her eyes. 

 

However, he was more distracted by that feeling in his gut. He normally only felt that shift when he was within a few feet of a biotic actively using their abilities, but here… she hadn’t even shown the outward signs of her biotics—the blue glow and swirling energy—but he had felt it.

 

Just how powerful  _ was _ she?

 

…

 

Just what had they  _ done  _ to her?

 

The rest of the checkup went uneventfully and mostly silently, beyond Chiyo’s normal chiding about how reckless Izuku was and how he was going to drive her into an early grave. Near the end of her lecture, they were interrupted by another young soldier. 

 

The man saluted. “Sir, the captain wishes to see you as soon as you’re done here.” 

 

“Understood.” Izuku nodded. “Thank you.”

 

The soldier nodded back and left, leaving Izuku with the two women. Chiyo put the final touch on the lacerations on his chest and reluctantly gave him the all-clear. Izuku looked over at Ochako and weighed his options.

 

No, he really didn’t have the time to take Ochako somewhere and he wasn’t about to leave her here. His decision was already made for him.

 

“Ochako, please come with me. I need to meet with the captain ASAP and you can’t be left on an Alliance cruiser unsupervised.”

 

Ochako hesitated for a moment and then looked away. “Yeah, okay.” 

 

* * *

 

Deku led Ochako through the halls of the—what did he call it again? The Tokyo? Whatever it was, it was big and she wasn’t a fan of all the strange looks she got from the crewmembers. Maybe it was because she was in what amounted to a dirty t-shirt and shorts while everyone else was dressed in simple blue navy fatigues, or maybe it was just because she was keeping on Deku’s heels.

 

Everyone seemed to respect him, if not revere him. Sure, people called him ‘commander’, but she didn’t really have any appreciation for military rank. It sounded fancy, but she couldn’t tell you where it fit in the whole hierarchy. Cerberus hadn’t been big on educating her while they were experimenting.

 

This whole thing was so different than… everything she had ever known, other than vague, distant memories from before Cerberus. In the span of a few hours, she had gone from being trapped, hope long forsaken, to being freed and off the planet that had been her prison and her hell for well over a decade. 

 

She realized that she didn’t even know what year it was or even how old she was. She only knew that she had been there for over a decade because some of the scientists had congratulated each other on a decade of ‘progress’ on her. 

 

The thought of those men and women filled her with rage. She hoped they hadn’t been killed simply because she wanted to kill them herself. 

 

She remembered the feeling of killing those Cerberus guards and the  _ rush _ she had felt. The one good thing she could say about those scientists is that they had done their jobs right. They had turned her into a killing machine. 

 

But for some reason, Deku was being nice to her. Maybe he was frightened of her or maybe he just didn’t know any better. Whatever the reason, she was in a strange place and he was the only thing she felt like she could hold onto to keep herself grounded. 

 

When that soldier had tried to grab onto her arm—the last mistake he would have ever made—Deku had stopped him. He had… protected her. Just like he had done down on that planet. Maybe he was doing his job, or maybe that was just the kind of guy he was. 

  
She looked up a little at the back of his head, her eyes lingering on his green hair for a moment. 

 

He had jumped on top of a grenade for her. That definitely counted for something.

 

They  _ finally _ arrived at their destination. The guard at the door saluted Deku and then shot her a curious glance. 

 

“She’s with me,” Deku said simply. The soldier nodded and didn’t give her a second look as the two of them entered the door past him.

 

They stepped into a spacious room with a large, circular table dominating the center. On the far side was an open space with several screens and devices surrounding a circular pad on the floor. All this technology was foreign to her.   

 

However, the technology wasn’t nearly as interesting as the other person in the room. Deku was taller than her, probably by a good six inches, but this man was something else. He was massive in nearly every sense of the word; she doubted she would come up to his chest. The only things more striking than his blonde hair and his gigantic frame were his bright blue eyes, which were looking at her curiously.

 

“Glad you could make it, Midoriya,” he began, his voice boisterous and booming. “Is this the woman who you rescued?”

 

Deku saluted. “Yes, sir. This is Ochako. Ochako, this is Captain Toshinori Yagi, the commanding officer aboard the Tokyo.”

 

She didn’t respond, her mind simply too overwhelmed by all the new stimuli and the exhaustion finally catching up with her.

 

The captain laughed. “It’s very good to meet you. Commander, is there a reason you brought her along?” 

 

“It was either bring her along or delay coming here,” Deku answered directly.

 

Yagi nodded. “Understandable.” He looked at her and thought for a moment. “I suppose what I have to discuss with you right now has to do with her, so it’s fine if she stays.”

 

Ochako perked up.

 

“While our troops were patching up and assisting the other prisoners, they discovered something interesting,” the captain continued. “Namely, that all of them have negative feelings about our friend here, ranging from fear to, more often, hatred.” 

 

Deku’s brow furrowed as Ochako curled her lip.

 

Yagi nodded softly, noting their reactions. “It meshes with our understanding of the facility. Those other children were essentially guinea pigs for the project. With a little psychological manipulation, they could easily have been convinced to blame Ochako for their suffering, rather than Cerberus.”

 

Ochako had no love for the other test subjects either. Those bastards always ignored her or treated her like shit when they couldn’t, like it was  _ her  _ fault that all of them were being stuck full of needles and drugs. 

 

She paused. Maybe the captain was right. Maybe it was all Cerberus manipulating them all. Still…

 

“So, I’m going to seperate them,” the tall man said firmly. “Ochako is not to interact with the other refugees. Since you’ve taken it upon yourself to see to her safety so far, I’m going to consider that you volunteering to watch after her.”

 

Deku nodded. “With pleasure.” 

 

“Excellent. A few things first, however.” Yagi turned to look at Ochako directly. “Young lady, let me first say that I am glad that you are alright.”

 

Ochako looked away slightly. That was subjective.

 

His voice became more stern. “I am placing you under the direct authority of Commander Midoriya. You are to listen to his orders and do whatever he asks of you. While he is supervising you, he is still an officer aboard my vessel and has certain duties. You will not interfere with his duties or the duties of anyone else aboard this ship. Do you understand?” 

 

Ochako wanted to tell him that she didn’t take orders from anybody, but that didn’t seem wise; she had learned the value of holding her tongue. Instead, she nodded. 

 

“Excellent. You will also need to meet with one of our psychiatrists.”

 

“Woah, hold on!” Ochako yelled, clenching her fists. “No doctors! Fuck that!”

 

“Sir,” Deku began quickly. “I believe Ochako has an aversion to doctors because of her experiences.”

 

Yagi paused, looking at Deku. “It would appear so. Do not worry, young lady, there will be no medication given or prescribed in any way without your full consent. I merely wish for you to meet with them for psychological examination. You’re just going to be talking.” 

 

“It’s standard procedure,” Deku said, trying to reassure her. “We just want to help you.”

 

Ochako still had trouble believing that. 

 

She considered her options. If she refused, they might toss her in with the rest of the refugees from Pragia, which wasn’t a nice thought. She would also be separated from Deku, the only person who showed her kindness, other than Yagi now.

 

“F-fine,” she huffed softly. “But  _ just  _ talking.” It would at least help pass the time.

 

Yagi nodded. “Just talking. If anybody tries to subject you to anything you’re not willing to do, you come straight to me... er, unless we’re at battle stations. But otherwise, you come straight to me or the commander here. We’ll take care of it.”

 

She looked up at the man for a few moments. “Okay.”

 

“Very good. Now.” Yagi turned to Deku. “Ochako will be staying in one of the dignitary suites while we jump back to Arcturus. Please show her to her chambers, Commander.”

 

Deku saluted. “Yes, sir.”

 

* * *

 

The commander and the woman left the room, leaving Toshinori alone. 

 

He sighed and turned back to the screens behind him, pressing a button to bring up a feed of the stars outside. They were nearly prepared to enter the mass relay and begin their journey back, but his mind was on the woman, Ochako.

 

He had watched the footage from Young Midoriya’s helmet. He had seen Ochako in action. 

 

There was no way around it. She was the most powerful human biotic he had ever witnessed and stronger than most of the asari he had seen in action. However, she had a rage and an edge to her that made her unpredictable. 

 

She was an unknown quantity. That made him nervous. 

 

He had asked for her to undergo psychological evaluation to hopefully gain a better understanding of what made her tick and how best to help her. Truth be told, the military part of him saw her as a threat, but the other part of him saw her as a poor, abused woman who had been kicked and beaten down by life. He really did want to help her and he could tell that the commander did too.

 

He had already delivered his report to the Admiralty thanks to the network of mass effect communication buoys that provided near-instant communication anywhere in the network. All-in-all, this had been a wildly successful final mission for his command aboard the Tokyo. It was something to be proud of and the Admiralty had agreed. Even Admiral Torino had congratulated him on a job well done and had wished him a safe journey back.

 

He still had work to do, however; Toshinori hadn’t finished picking his crew for his next command. That digital stack of dossiers wasn’t getting any smaller without him.

 

He sighed and sat down, pulling up his datapad and settling in for another long shift of scrolling through personnel files. 

 

“Where was I?” he muttered aloud to himself. “Ah, that’s right. Dave’s daughter…”

 

* * *

 

“Private communication for you, Captain,” came the voice through the comms. 

 

Toshinori grit his teeth as he sat at his private desk. “Patch it through.”

 

A black silhouette appeared in the communicator in front of him.  _ “Greetings, Captain Yagi,” _ came the mysterious voice.  _ “Rest assured, this is a secure frequency. The Alliance cannot track us or listen in.” _

 

“Who are you?” Toshinori asked. “What do you want?”

 

 _“I am a representative of the Shadow Broker,”_ the voice explained, _“and I think you have a very good idea of why I’m contacting you. I wish to discuss the acquisition of Subject Zero.”_

 

“I’m no traitor,” Toshinori shot back. “Not interested.”

 

There was a small pause.  _ “Disappointing, but not unexpected. I urge you to reconsider. It is unwise to get on the Shadow Broker’s bad side and it is conversely wise to have him indebted to you.” _

 

Toshinori didn’t respond; he just cut the communication.

 

He slumped back in his chair and sighed. In the many days since their mission on Pragia, he had gotten no fewer than five calls like that. He didn’t know how the information about Ochako had gotten out, but there were many places in the Alliance Navy that there could be a leak. 

 

However, this was the first offer he had gotten from the Shadow Broker. He was an enigmatic individual—if he was truly a man or even a single person—who dealt in the most valuable commodity: information. If he was after Ochako, then there must be powerful pieces at play.

 

Toshinori sighed as he looked over at the datapad containing her psychological profile. She was damaged, there was no way around that, but the doctor had noted that her mental health was remarkably healthy for what she had gone through. The most concerning detail at the time was her reported ‘rush’ she got whenever she was in combat and, more specifically, killing. 

 

According to the other refugees that had been interviewed, Ochako had been chemically conditioned by the scientists to enjoy killing. The idea that those Cerberus bastards had spent  _ years _ turning a human being into a weapon like that made him shudder. 

 

Another interesting note in her profile was that she had apparently developed some sort of attachment to Young Midoriya. That wasn’t surprising, considering he was the one who personally pulled her out of that hell, but it did create some complications. 

 

She was more reasonable and more docile when he was around and the doctors had recommended that, to best facilitate her psychological recovery, he should be around her as much as possible. The two hadn’t become what he would call friends—not yet, at least—but she was much more of a normal woman when he was nearby. 

 

Standard procedure was for him to drop her off with the rest of the refugees once they returned to Arcturus Station, but there was something tugging at the back of his mind. There was a leak  _ somewhere _ and a large number of people gunning for her, including the Shadow Broker, apparently. Dropping her off like that felt like he was signing her death sentence, or worse.

 

Maybe he had grown paranoid after what Shigaraki had done to him, but he had learned to trust his gut after all these years. There was no doubt that she would be a powerful asset, especially if she became stable enough for him to trust, and the commander’s presence would facilitate that growth, in theory. 

 

He had been debating this for several days, but the call from the Shadow Broker’s agent had solidified his decision.

 

Toshinori reached over to his list of personnel for his new command and created a new entry. This was probably a bad decision, but it was also the only right one.

 

He began to write, but then paused. She needed a last name, or the form wouldn’t accept the entry, but the doctors had reported that she didn’t remember her family name. He thought for a moment and then finished his entry.

 

‘Ochako Midoriya - Civilian Biotic Expert’.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, huh? 
> 
> See you next time! (Hopefully sooner!)
> 
> :)


	4. Normandy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of something special.

“Permission to speak freely, sir?”

 

“Granted.”

 

Izuku took a deep breath. “You did  _ what _ ?!” he hissed. “With all due respect, sir, what were you thinking?”

 

Toshinori grinned awkwardly. “I needed to give her a last name and it seemed like the best choice at the time.”

 

“You couldn’t have given her a random one or a more generic one? What about Smith?” 

 

Toshinori chuckled. “I thought it might help her ground herself. She seems calmer around you.”

 

“So you married us?” Izuku said slowly, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Don’t be so melodramatic, Young Midoriya!” Toshinori clapped him on the back, making the shorter man lurch forward slightly. “What’s in a name, anyway?”

 

Just then, the door opened. The two men stiffened up as Ochako walked in, her hair having grown a little longer in the intervening weeks. She eyed the two suspiciously, raising an eyebrow as she folded her arms.

 

“Thank you for coming,” Toshinori began. “As you might have overheard, we are approaching Arcturus Station, and are set to arrive within 24 hours.”

 

Ochako’s shoulders slumped at the same time her body tensed. She looked like she had when he had first seen her: defensive, unsure, and afraid, but hiding it behind her gruff and bitter demeanor.

 

“Which means you’re dumping the refugees,” she grumbled. “I overheard some of the crew talking about how much they’re looking forward to being rid of us.”

 

Toshinori didn’t make any noticeable reaction. “Very true. Arcturus Station is the capital of the entire Systems Alliance and it’s where you and all the others we rescued from Pragia will be making your departure from the Tokyo.”

 

Ochako’s teeth clenched.

 

“You will be processed and held while the Alliance does a full check to see if you have any family out there,” Toshinori continued. “If none can be found, you will be offered several planets that you can choose from to be relocated to. However, there is another option.”

 

The woman glared at Toshinori, not giving him the satisfaction of any sort of further reaction.

 

Toshinori stood up a little straighter, putting his hands behind his back. “You are not the only one departing the Tokyo. This is my last day upon this fine vessel, too, along with the Commander.”

 

Ochako’s vision snapped to Izuku, where he saw it soften the smallest amount before moving back to the Captain.

 

“We will be moving to a new ship,” he said, his smile growing. “An experimental vessel that could change the very foundation of space warfare. As part of this commission, I was permitted to select my own crew. I’d like to extend an invitation to you to be a part of that crew.”

 

Ochako’s stony facade crumbled in an instant as Toshinori’s words crashed over her. She looked utterly stunned, her eyes darting back between Izuku and Toshinori. 

 

Toshinori looked over and nodded at Izuku, who was still holding the package in his hand. “The Systems Alliance offers you a position as a civilian contractor. Should you accept, you will be using your expertise in biotics to assist us in our missions.”

 

Her shock faded away and she regained her suspicious scowl. “Cut the shit. What’s this about?”

 

Toshinori sighed. “I’ll be straight with you. I believe that you are in danger of being attacked or abducted if we simply discharge you with the rest of the refugees.”

 

“The Alliance will do all they can to protect you, of course,” Izuku added, “but I urge you to accept this offer.”

 

Ochako looked away, looking reluctantly thoughtful for a moment before turning back. “Fine. What do I have to do?”

 

A weight felt like it had been lifted off Izuku’s chest. He smiled widely. “You will have to go through some briefing and security training before I can tell you much, but I promise you that we won’t ask you to do anything you don’t want to do. Your safety and health, both mental and physical, are our top priority.”

 

She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. “Fine,” she repeated. “Beats being stuck on a station with a bunch of people who hate my guts.”

 

“There is… one small thing,” Izuku added sheepishly, causing Ochako to tense up and eye him suspiciously. “Captain Yagi here needed to include a last name in the report he filed, so he… picked one for you.” 

 

Izuku offered her the package, which contained information and a simple uniform. The label on it read ‘Ochako Midoriya’.

 

Ochako looked at him, then back at the box, then at the captain.

 

She took the package and glared at Izuku again, the faintest trace of red on her normally pink cheeks. “Nobody better call me that. It’s Ochako, not anything else.”

 

Izuku nodded, smiling awkwardly. “Understood.”

 

* * *

 

Several days later, Izuku knocked on the door of Ochako’s room. Today was the day that they finally departed Arcturus.

 

The door slid open, and the familiar pair of brown eyes looked up at him.

 

Izuku glanced down at the fatigues she was wearing, the navy blue uniform holding close to her body, but not too tightly. The sleeves were rolled up and pinned above her elbows as she tugged at the material, clearly not used to it yet. Her hair wasn’t long enough yet for her to tie it back in a ponytail or bun, so it sat on her head, styled slightly into a pixie cut that accented her adorable face.

 

Hmm. He always  _ did _ have a thing for a woman in uniform.

 

“Ready?” he asked.

 

Her own eyes traced up his uniform to his face. “I guess,” she offered half-heartedly. “I don’t have to go through any more security trainings, do I? I think I might stab myself if I have to sit through another day of that.”

 

“No, you’re all clear now,” Izuku said with a laugh as he turned around, leading her down toward the port where their new ship was docked. They walked through the bustling halls filled with soldiers, officers and civilians moving every which way. Ochako moved up closer to him, not wanting to get lost in the bustle as people darted around them.

 

“This place really is amazing,” Izuku said with a satisfied smile. “This is the brain, the nerve center of the Alliance, all orbiting a star about 37 light years from Earth. I’ve only been there a few times, but it was really something to be there. That was where we all began, you know? Everything we are all began on that pale blue dot.”

 

Ochako looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.

 

“But here!” Izuku continued, gesturing around. “Here is where we are now. All we are now. This is humanity. This is the Alliance. From here the parliament governs and the navy protects every single colony outside of the Sol system. Sure, we have a foothold on the Citadel, but I’m not exactly a politician. I’m just… proud of what we’ve built. To think that 200 years ago we were still driving cars powered by fossil fuels and had only made it to Luna a few decades before.”

 

“Um, this is gonna sound like a dumb question,” Ochako began quietly, “but uh, what year  _ is _ it?”

 

Izuku froze for a second. “I’m… still trying to come to terms with what hell you went through, sorry. It’s 2183.”

 

Ochako nodded. “I think that makes me 21. I seem to remember 2162 being important.”

 

“Hmm, I just turned 25,” Izuku explained. “You… don’t remember much of your childhood?”

 

Ochako shook her head. “Just bits and pieces, like little scraps of paper floating in the air but when you try to grab them they slip through your fingers.” She sighed tersely. “It kinda makes me mad when I try to remember, so I don’t try much.”

 

Izuku looked back at her sadly, but didn’t say anything. He doubted that anything he could say would make anything better.

 

“The ship… is it gonna be like the Tokyo?” she asked, looking quite uncomfortable in the crowd.

 

Izuku was grateful for the change of subject. “No, much different. The Tokyo was a cruiser, while our new ship is a frigate. Cruisers are the main line of our navy, they’re sturdier and more heavily armed than frigates, but are quicker and more maneuverable than carriers and dreadnoughts."

 

Ochako narrowed her eyes. "So they're sticking us a tiny ship?"

 

"Tiny is relative," Izuku hummed, “but comparatively, yes. The crew consists of 31, including us.”

 

“Better than all those people on the Tokyo,” she huffed. “They better leave me alone.”

 

Izuku laughed once. “It’s gonna be pretty snug in there, all things considered. I know you’re not military and you’re not  _ great _ at following orders, but it’s important that everyone pulls their own weight.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered dismissively. “I got it. There’s no way I’m gonna let people think I’m some princess. I’ll take care of my own damn self.”

 

Izuku smiled slightly. “Being on a ship isn’t just being self-sufficient. You’re part of a team. When you’re on a ship, there isn’t exactly anywhere you can go. You’re stuck with everyone else, for better or for worse, for a long, long time.”

 

“So, I’m a prisoner again,” she muttered.

 

Izuku stopped dead, causing Ochako to run into him. He turned around, looking down at her with a very serious expression. “If you  _ ever _ feel like that again, you tell me, alright?”

 

Ochako blinked twice. “Hey man, I was joking. Don’t worry about it.” She looked away, then down at the ground. “But uh, thanks, I guess.”

 

Izuku straightened himself up and turned back around, resuming their journey to the dock. They were quiet the rest of the way, which was a little awkward. He didn’t really understand why he was so protective of her.

 

Perhaps it was because he knew about how badly she had been treated and for how long. She had suffered more in her young life than most people would suffer in their entire existences and that didn’t feel right to him at all. Ochako was right; she wasn’t a princess, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t feel like karma owed her.

 

But he was a soldier first and foremost. He would do his duty, and his duty was to protect her and every other person threatened by the enemies of humanity. Like he did at the Blitz, he would do all in his power to save lives and defend people. Perhaps it wasn’t so odd that he felt protective of her; this was the first time someone he saved had stuck around him long enough for him to get this way. 

 

Either way, Izuku dismissed the thought for the time being as the pair rounded a corner and a great window stood before them. They looked out onto one of the massive dockyards that lined Arcturus Station, gazing out over all of the ships docked outside, but there was one that was far grander than all the others, at least to Izuku.

 

There she was. 

 

She was beautiful, with her sleek white hull dappled with gray panels and black wings. Two flat engines sat on each wing, the nearer running nearly the whole length of the ship, with the letters ‘SR1’ painted halfway up it. She looked a little like the Concorde jet from back in the 20th century, which Izuku noted was a comparison only he was likely to make. 

 

“Which one is it?” Ochako asked. 

 

He smiled. “The one right there,” he said as he pointed. “Right in front of us.”

 

Sitting boldly, proudly on the side of the ship was her name. 

 

‘Normandy’.

 

“It is a lot smaller,” she mumbled. “But I think it looks… cool?”

 

Izuku laughed once, turning and leading her down toward the boarding arm that was extended to the Normandy. “Let’s go meet the crew. We’ll be spending a lot of time together, so you might want to tag along.”

 

“Sure, whatever,” she huffed.

 

* * *

 

Ochako followed Deku along the walkway, still tugging at her new fatigues. They were a lot nicer than the borderline rags she was given back at Teltin, but they were also a lot heavier and hung tighter to her body. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, she just had to get used to them.

 

“Commander,” the marine standing in front of the airlock said respectfully, saluting the green-haired soldier. He looked at Ochako next. “Miss.”

 

“At ease,” Deku responded as the airlock hissed open. 

 

They stepped inside as the door slid shut behind them. Ochako immediately felt a tingle running up her spine as she began to feel her instincts beginning to spike in her head; she didn’t like feeling trapped. 

 

A robotic woman’s voice began to speak as Ochako felt the air pressure change slightly. “Logged: the Executive Officer is aboard. Welcome aboard, Commander Midoriya.” 

 

“Is that an AI?” Ochako asked.

 

Deku shook his head. “AIs are highly illegal. That is a simple virtual intelligence that helps to keep track of some basic, repetitive tasks, such as logging when officers arrive or depart.”

 

Ochako nodded. AIs were illegal? She had heard her captors talking about them sometimes, although she supposed she shouldn’t be surprised that Cerberus was doing  _ more _ illegal things. They didn’t seem very concerned with the law.

 

The inner doors finally hissed open and in front of them stood the impressive figure of Captain Yagi, who was talking to a woman in similar fatigues to Ochako. He nodded, then turned to look down at Deku and Ochako. 

 

“Welcome aboard,” Yagi said boisterously, mirroring the VI. “Are you ready for the tour?”

 

Deku saluted the captain firmly. “Yes, sir.”

 

Yagi smiled slightly. “We’ll have time for full introductions soon, but for now, we’ll hit the key points and the rest after briefing.” He gestured to his right and Deku stepped forward, Ochako following a little behind.

 

It was only a few feet until they reached the cockpit, where Ochako saw five stations, three of which were filled. One of them was on each side of her, where a man and a woman were working diligently on their computers. The third chair was larger than the other two and was facing forward, at least until it span around.

 

A blonde man with a wide grin smiled up at them from the chair. “Flight Lieutenant Denki Kaminari reporting for duty, Commander.” His voice had a hint of levity that Ochako would almost call insubordinate, and his grin was more what she would call a smirk. “I’d get up and salute but, you know.” He gestured at his legs, which Ochako saw were lined with some sort of actuated metal braces.

 

Deku shook his head. “I still can’t believe that they gave you the position after what you pulled,” he mused. “Although after what you did, I suppose there’s nobody better to be at the helm.”

 

Denki smirked a little wider and pointed a thumb to his chest. “Absolutely not. I was born to fly this baby. Also, remind me to send Invectus a Christmas card, alright?” 

 

“What did he do?” Ochako asked quietly.

 

Deku looked down at her and shook his head again. “Lieutenant Kaminari here stole the Normandy.” 

 

“What?!” Ochako exclaimed, completely taken aback. 

 

“It’s a long story,” he added, “I’ll tell you later.” 

 

Yagi looked at Denki sternly, who shrunk down a little as he spun back around to face the front of the ship. “We are clear to begin the shakedown run. Make the preparations and get us underway.”

 

“Aye aye,” Denki responded as he began to work at the computer.

 

The captain led them back down the ship, passing by the airlock and several lowered computer stations where technicians were working away. Ochako noted that the hallway was only dimly lit by cursory lights and the glow of the holographic computer screens, giving the whole bridge a very calm, dark feel.

 

The hallway opened up into a larger room which was more well-lit and dominated by a massive holographic map of the galaxy that was surrounded by a bank of computers. Ochako counted a half-dozen men and women in uniform, nicer than the fatigues Ochako and most of the others were wearing, talking and working at the stations.

 

The captain gestured toward one of the women, who promptly moved over. Ochako recognized the shorter, dark-haired woman from the Tokyo.

 

Deku smiled widely. “It’s good to see you, Jirou.”

 

She saluted the man with a slight smirk. “Operations Lieutenant Kyouka Jirou reporting, sir. It’s good to see you, too.”

 

“I picked Jirou to be the head of the Combat Information Center as well as the Chief Navigator,” Yagi explained. “After her exemplary service aboard the Tokyo, there’s nobody I’d rather have.”

 

Ochako saw Kyouka blush slightly. “That’s high praise, sir. Thank you.”

 

Yagi smiled broadly and gave a thumbs-up, which was a little corny. “You deserve it!” He nodded and let the woman return to work as they walked past the… what did he call it? Combat Information Center?    
  
All this military jargon…

 

The group approached a door near the back of the room where there was a marine stationed. He saluted stiffly as the door slid open and revealed a set of stairs heading down a blue hallway further into the ship. They descended as the path curved inward toward the center of the ship. Once they got to the bottom, Ochako noted a mirrored set of stairs heading up the other side.

 

They passed by a large elevator door and around to what looked like a common space, directly underneath and roughly mirroring the CIC above. Extending back along the length of the ship underneath the bridge and extending to beneath the cockpit was a long hallway lined with ten pods of some sort, five on each side. On either side of the room there was a door, which Ochako assumed led back along the hallway. In the common room itself, she spotted a pair of men talking at the table, who stood up and saluted quickly upon seeing the captain. 

 

“As you were, gentlemen,” Yagi said with a chuckle. “I’m just giving my XO the tour of the ship.” The men, one of which Ochako recognized as Jenkins from the Tokyo, turned to Deku and gave him a nod and a salute before sitting back down. 

 

“Sir, are you harassing my men?” came another jovial, but familiar voice.

 

Ochako looked over to see the taller, red-headed form of Itsuka walking over to the group with a smile on her face. Her teal eyes were piercing and bright, and Ochako couldn’t help but admire the lean, well-defined muscles that showed through her uniform. 

 

“Lieutenant!” Deku said happily, his own smile wide and friendly.

 

“That’s Lieutenant Commander, sir,” Itsuka corrected him with a toothy grin as she saluted. 

 

Deku recoiled the slightest bit in surprise. “Oh! Congratulations on your promotion!” 

 

“It’s been a long time coming,” Yagi added. “I figured that this would be the perfect opportunity to promote her, as she is the Normandy’s marine detail commander.”

 

“I have the utmost confidence,” Deku said sincerely. “I look forward to working with you again.” 

 

“The feeling is mutual,” Itsuka returned brightly. “But hey, maybe if you’re not too busy you can come down and join us for some cards sometimes.”

 

Deku laughed. “You just like beating me.”

 

“Guilty as charged,” she admitted with a chuckle of her own. “It’s not my fault you’re terrible at poker.”

 

Itsuka leaned around Deku and looked at Ochako, her smile less jovial, but more kind. “Good to see you too, Ochako. I hope you’re doing well.”

 

Ochako didn’t exactly know how to react, so she defaulted to her normal tactic. “I’m fine.”

 

“That’s good to hear.” Itsuka sounded a little more stiff and official. “I look forward to working with you.”

 

“Uh yeah,” Ochako offered weakly. “Me, too.”

 

Itsuka leaned back and gave Yagi and Deku another nod before returning to her post. 

 

The captain gestured at the door on the left side of the room. “Those are my quarters, you’ll forgive me if I don’t show you inside.” 

 

Deku must have noticed Ochako staring at the upright pods, as he leaned back a little. “Those are sleeper pods; You’re gonna have to get used to those. Don’t worry, they’re a lot more comfortable than they look.”

 

Ochako raised an eyebrow. Maybe she would find a nice corner to sleep in, at least until she felt more comfortable. 

 

Yagi led them to the door on the right side of the room, which hissed open to reveal a room with several medical tables and a desk where a familiar white-haired woman sat.

 

Deku nodded at Chiyo. “I had a feeling I’d be seeing you here, Dr. Shuzenji.”

 

She scoffed. “And I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you in here more than I’d like, Commander.” 

 

“And I’ll be grateful every time,” Deku responded politely. 

 

Chiyo looked over at Ochako and her expression softened. “You let me know if he does anything too dangerous, alright?”

 

Ochako grew the faintest hint of a smile; a rare event, but the woman had a compassion about her that softened Ochako’s heart. “I’ll try.”

 

She smiled kindly at Ochako, then looked back up at the two men, nodding and turning back to her desk. 

 

Denki’s voice rang out through the ship. “Departing Arcturus Station.” 

 

They were on the move already?

 

The trio headed back to the elevator and rode it down. “One more stop,” Yagi commented as the doors opened behind them into a large cargo bay. Ochako saw several people working, but what caught her eye most was the great, white vehicle parked to the side. It had six wheels and looked like a combination of a bus and a tank, what with is bulky armor and large turret adorning the top.

 

They took two hard rights out of the elevator and walked down a small ramp to another door, which hissed open to reveal a large open room with a massive spinning blue… thing in it. 

 

It was a giant machine glowing with electricity and a blue glow that looked very similar to her own biotics. It was huge and the energy it gave off made her hair stand on end.

 

A blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman approached the three of them, saluting proudly. 

 

Yagi smiled down at her, but Ochako noted his face looked… fonder than normal. “Commander, this is Lieutenant Melissa Shield. She’s the Normandy’s chief engineer.” 

 

“Wait…” Deku began slowly. “Shield… as in- Are you related to David Shield?”

 

The woman smiled and nodded. “He’s my father.”

 

“No way!” Deku exclaimed. “Doctor Shield is one of my idols! His work has revolutionized so many things.”

 

Yagi let out a boisterous laugh as Melissa smiled proudly. “Dave and I go way back, Young Midoriya. I’m proud to have her aboard, but make no mistake: nepotism had nothing to do with it. Don’t tell Dave, but I think Melissa will do even greater things than he did.”

 

“Oh, he knows,” Melissa added with a small, professional laugh.

 

Deku looked like he was fanboying a little, which made Ochako’s chest feel a little funny. “I look forward to working with you, Lieutenant Shield.”

 

“Likewise, Commander,” Melissa responded with a kind smile.

 

Deku glanced at Ochako. “This is Ochako, she’s a civilian contractor who will be joining us.”

 

Melissa stepped over and offered her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

 

Ochako hesitated, then reached out to shake hands, but didn’t say anything, keeping her expression austere. Melissa looked a little confused, but Ochako really didn’t know how to respond.

 

Yagi cleared his throat. “Lieutenant, how about you tell the Commander here about the drive core.”

 

Melissa, clearly glad for a change of subject, brightened up. “Ah, yes! Commander, this is one part of what makes the Normandy so special. Firstly, I’m sure you’ve been briefed on the Internal Emission Sink system, which allows us to hide our heat signature. That renders us functionally immune to detection, which makes the Normandy the stealthiest ship in space. However, the lithium heat sinks can only store so much before it risks cooking the crew alive. This experimental Tantalus Drive Core is the other part of that equation.”

 

Ochako raised an eyebrow. This woman gushed as much as Deku did.

 

“Essentially, the core creates mass concentrations that the Normandy can ‘fall into’, which allows us to move in space without having to engage thrusters, which would light us up light a Christmas tree regardless if our IES was active or not. It’s pretty big for a ship this size, but the pilot seems confident that he can handle it.”

 

“Indeed,” Yagi added. “Thank you, Melissa.” The captain nodded and the woman returned to work.

 

The three walked back to the elevator as Denki’s voice played through the ship’s speakers once again. 

 

“The Arcturus Prime Relay is in range… initiating transmission sequence.”

 

Yagi smiled proudly. “Our first jump. You should head on up to the cockpit, the briefing with Nihlus can wait.”

 

“Nihlus?” Deku asked. “Nihlus Kryik? The turian Spectre?”

 

Yagi nodded. “He’s a guest for our shakedown mission to Eden Prime. This ship was a joint Human-Turian venture and they have an obvious vested interest in seeing how it handles.”

 

“I see,” Deku hummed, but Ochako didn’t think he sounded convinced.

 

“Uh, Captain,” Ochako said softly. “Where should I go?”

 

The man smiled down at her. “I’ll let you know later, for now, accompany the Commander. You’ve never seen a jump before, have you? It’s a thing of beauty.”

 

Ochako nodded, secretly grateful that she wasn’t being shoved to some dark corner of the ship just yet. She had to admit, she didn’t know where she would fit in here, but Yagi seemed like he had a plan.

 

The three stepped out of the elevator and walked up the stairs back to the top deck. Yagi turned to go into a room between the stairs and behind the CIC while Deku walked toward the front of the ship.

 

Ochako glanced forward and stopped for a moment, her eyes landing on something distinctly inhuman.

 

A turian was standing behind Denki, looking out of the cockpit with a serious expression on his face—or was that just always how they looked? This was the first time she had seen one in person, at least as far as she could remember.

 

He stood several inches taller than Deku, his longer face covered with red, chitinous plates, which were in turn covered with what looked like ornate white war paint. The plates flared back over his head, as his beady eyes stared forward from the eye holes in the plating. Nihlus tapped away at his armor with one of his three-fingered hands while the strange mandible-like appendages on his cheeks shifted slightly. Ochako always thought turians looked a little bird-like, but also a little like dinosaurs.

 

His armor was black and accented with red, the bulky armor only emphasizing his species’ barrel-chested appearance, which Ochako might have found intimidating if she wasn’t confident she could have crushed him like a tin can with her biotics.

 

“We are connected,” Denki’s voice continued, snapping Ochako back to reality, “calculating transit mass and destination.”

 

Ochako stepped quickly to catch back up to Deku as he walked past the technicians working along the bridge.

 

“Relay is hot, acquiring approach vector.”

 

Deku and Ochako arrived at the bridge, looking out the glass to see a massive blue object floating in front of them. It looked like a gigantic ring with two towers sticking out in one direction and a pair of rings spinning at its core around a blue glow.

 

“All stations secure for transit,” Denki continued over the speakers.

 

Ochako watched him and the two other bridge crewmen work quickly, but methodically, doing calculations and adjustments that Ochako couldn’t hope to wrap her mind around.

 

“Board is green, approach run has begun.”

 

The spinning rings began to pick up speed as the glow brightened. The Normandy began to turn and travel along the length of the relay, toward where the towers were pointing. 

 

“Hitting the relay in three… two… one…”

 

The glow reached a blinding peak as energy began to arc toward the Normandy, covering the entire ship in a blue glow. The stars around them began to smear and then all of a sudden, in a blur of blue, the Normandy shot into deep space, smashing through into faster than light travel.

 

* * *

 

“Thrusters… check. Navigation… check.” Denki began to go through the diagnostics as the Normandy exited FTL a few minutes later. “Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift…” The blonde looked at a window on his display. “Just under 1500 K.”

 

“1500 is good,” Nihlus said flatly with a slight flange in his voice; a hallmark of the turian people. “Your captain will be pleased.” The Spectre turned around and walked back down the ship, heading for the comm room behind the CIC. 

  
Denki eyed the turian as he walked away. “I hate that guy,” he muttered once he thought the turian was out of earshot.

 

Izuku raised an eyebrow, looking down at Ochako at his side who had the same reaction.

 

In the minutes it had taken the Normandy to travel well over a thousand light years, Itsuka had made her way up to the cockpit as well. “Hold up, Denks, Nihlus complimented you… so you hate him?”

 

“Denks?” Denki remarked with a hint of confusion. “Look, you remember to zip up your jumpsuit when you leave the bathroom, that’s good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. That’s incredible.”

 

Izuku chuckled a little; Denki had a penchant for hyperbole, it seemed. 

 

“Besides, Spectres are trouble, I don’t like having him on board. Call me paranoid.”

 

“You’re paranoid,” Itsuka returned without missing a beat. “The council helped fund this project, they have a right to send someone to keep an eye on it.”

 

Denki shrugged. “If you believe the official story, sure.”

 

“Calm down, you two,” Izuku ordered.

 

“Sorry, Commander.”

 

The radio next to Denki lit up. “Kaminari, status report.” The voice of Toshinori rang through.

 

Denki stiffened up a little. “Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems are engaged and everything looks solid.”

 

“Excellent. Hook us up to a comm buoy; I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass  _ before _ we reach Eden Prime.”

 

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Denki responded. “Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way.”

 

“He’s already here, Lieutenant.” Izuku could hear the disappointed sigh in Toshinori’s voice as Denki cringed a little. “Tell Commander Midoriya to meet me in the comm room.” 

 

Izuku noted that Toshinori sounded serious, like he did during a combat mission.

 

Itsuka shook her head and clapped Denki on the shoulder. “Good shit, Denks.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” the blonde muttered, his shoulders slumped. “Did you hear that, Commander?” 

 

Izuku rubbed his chin. “I did. The captain sounded a little tense, I wonder if something went wrong with the mission.”

 

“Really?” Denki asked. “He always sound like that, at least when he’s talking to me.” 

 

Itsuka’s eyes met Izuku’s for a moment as the redhead chuckled and began to walk back down the ship. “I wonder why.”

 

Izuku turned to Ochako. “I need to talk to the captain. You might want to head down to the mess.”

 

“I kinda want to look at the engine more,” Ochako admitted.

 

Izuku nodded. “Sounds good.” He walked with purpose back down the command deck, spotting Jenkins and Chiyo speaking. He had half a mind to stop and talk with them, but then Kyouka caught his eye. 

 

She looked serious, much more serious than she should have for this simple mission.

 

Izuku got the message, nodding at her and hurrying past the doctor and marine into the comm room. 

 

Nihlus was standing alone in the circular room, looking at the holoscreen in front of him. Upon hearing Izuku approach down the small walkway, he turned around.

 

“Commander Midoriya,” he began calmly, “I was hoping you’d get here first. It will give us a chance to talk.” 

 

Izuku raised an eyebrow. “What can I do for you?”

 

Nihlus began to pace slowly, looking at Izuku with his beady, green eyes that reminded him of a predator stalking its prey. “I’m interested in this world we’re going to—Eden Prime. I’ve heard it’s quite beautiful.”

 

“Beyond beautiful,” Izuku answered as he clasped his hands behind his back, holding his ground. “It’s a paradise.”

 

“A paradise,” Nihlus repeated. “Serene, tranquil, safe. Wouldn’t you agree that Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for humanity? Proof that you cannot only establish colonies, but protect them.” The turian turned back to the display slowly. “But how safe is it, really?”

 

“Do you know something?” Izuku asked tersely. 

 

Denki was right about one thing at least: Spectres were trouble. They worked outside the law and answered to nobody but the Council themselves. A Spectre could show up, do what he wanted, and leave, without anybody being able to legally stop him. 

 

It seemed crazy, but in a galaxy filled with more red tape than stars, it was deemed a necessary risk.

 

“Your people are still newcomers, Midoriya,” Nihlus responded as he turned back to face him, a very small degree of hostility in his voice. “The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?”

 

At that moment, the doors opened again, and the massive frame of Toshinori entered the room. The captain was tall enough that even turians had to look up at him.

 

“I think it’s time we tell the commander what’s really going on here,” Toshinori said directly as he walked down the ramp.

 

Nihlus nodded. “This is far more than a simple shakedown run.” 

 

“I figured,” Izuku admitted. “They don’t send Spectres on shakedown runs.”

 

“We’re making a covert pickup on Eden Prime,” Toshinori explained. “The Normandy’s stealth system is perfect for this.”

 

Izuku nodded. “What are we picking up?”

 

Toshinori walked up to the holoscreen. “Recently, a research team on the plant unearthed some sort of… beacon is what they called it. They believe it to be Prothean in origin.”

 

“Prothean?” Izuku reacted with surprise. The Protheans were an incredibly technologically advanced race that seemed to have suddenly and utterly vanish approximately 50,000 years ago and nobody knew why. Izuku had always been fascinated with them and their story, as it was thanks to their technology that humanity had advanced so quickly.

 

Toshinori nodded. “This is big, Midoriya. The last time we made a discovery like this…”

 

“You don’t have to impress upon me how important this is, sir,” Izuku offered. “The mass relays, the Citadel… if this beacon is only a fraction of that, it will still be monumental.”

 

“Exactly,” Toshinori said approvingly. “Which is why our mission is important. Eden Prime doesn’t have the facilities to handle something like this. We are here to pick it up and deliver it to the Citadel as covertly as possible. This sort of discovery would make a lot of pirates and raiders very interested. I can’t even fathom how much this could sell for on the black market.”

 

Nihlus crossed his arms. “I understand that the Prothean library on Mars jump-started your species’ technology, but this discovery goes far beyond humanity. This discovery could affect every species in Council space.” 

 

Izuku nodded, standing up a little straighter. “I understand completely. I hope we can all benefit from the discovery.”

 

“That’s very noble of you,” Nihlus remarked.

 

“However, that doesn’t explain the tension here,” Izuku added, looking at Toshinori. “Pardon my assumptions, sir, but I know you. Something’s happened, hasn’t it?”

 

Toshinori let out a single, airy laugh. “Right you are, Young Midoriya. When we entered the system, Lieutenant Jirou informed me that she detected a distress signal from the planet. Any attempts to contact Eden Prime has been met with silence.”

 

Izuku’s eyes widened slightly as his brow furrowed. 

 

“That brings me to my next point,” Toshinori continued. “Nihlus isn’t just here about the beacon; he’s here to evaluate you.” 

 

Izuku’s vision snapped to Nihlus.

 

“I want to see you in action, Midoriya,” Nihlus explained. “This situation will be a good first mission so I can see if you have the potential.”

 

“The potential… for what?” Izuku asked. “To be a Spectre?”

 

Toshinori nodded. “I know you don’t pay too much attention to politics, but the Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy; we want more say within the Council. Spectres represent the power and authority of the council, and if they accept a human into their ranks, it will show just how far we’ve come.”

 

Nihlus nodded. “I read the reports about you single-handedly holding off an enemy assault at the Skyllian Blitz. That shows not only courage and determination, but incredible skill. You impressed me, which is why I put your name forward as a candidate.”

 

“You did?” Izuku was genuinely surprised. He collected himself quickly. 

 

Nihlus nodded again. “While many of my people resent your species, others of us see your potential. Even in a galaxy as massive as ours, finding someone with the skills necessary to become a Spectre is rare. We don’t care who you are, we only care that you can do the job. As I said, you impressed me; continue to impress me an-”

 

Suddenly, the comms came to life with Kyouka’s voice. “Captain!”

 

The three men froze.

 

“We’ve got a problem. I just got a lock on a transmission from Eden Prime, you better see this.” 

 

“Bring it up on screen,” Toshinori ordered.

 

A garbled and grainy video began to play, but Izuku immediately recognized the sound of rifle fire. A man in a hardsuit ran fired a pistol at an unknown enemy, before running toward whoever was filming, shoving them to the ground.

 

“Get down!” he ordered, before charging up a biotic blast and sending it off-screen. 

 

The video continued for several seconds, the sound of battle raging all around, before another soldier grabbed the cameraman and began to speak at him. “We are under attack and taking heavy casualties! I repeat: heavy casualties! We can’t-”

 

An explosion detonated nearby, jousting the speaker, but he quickly regained his composure. “We need evac! They came out of nowhere, we nee-”

 

The man stiffened up and collapsed to the ground, immediately dead.

 

Suddenly, a terrifying, metallic moan began to drown out all the other sounds. The soldiers stopped firing as their jaws dropped and they looked into the sky.

 

Descending to the ground was a monstrous entity. Its metallic tentacles moved slowly as red lightning arced around it, causing the groan to grow louder. 

 

Another explosion rang out and the line went dead.

 

Izuku turned to look at the captain, who was eyeing the screen gravely.

 

“After that, there’s just static,” Kyouka added. “No comm traffic at all, like the planet just vanished.”

 

Toshinori narrowed his eyes. “Reverse and hold at 38.5.”

 

The screen snapped back to the shot of the metal behemoth descending to the planet. Izuku didn’t know what to make of it; his first instinct was that it was a ship, but he had never seen anything of the sort. It almost looked like a giant squid made of metal and nightmares.

 

“Status report,” Toshinori ordered.

 

“Seventeen minutes out,” Kyouka responded. “No other Alliance ships in the area.”

 

Toshinori paused for a moment. “Tell Kaminari to take us in fast and quiet.”

 

“This mission just got a lot more complicated.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you guys next time!
> 
> :)


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